Google Maps
Free Upper East Side News, Delivered To Your Inbox
Cathedral High School, a historic all-girls Catholic school located at 116 East 97th Street (between Park and Lexington avenues), has announced it will permanently close at the end of the 2025–2026 academic year.
Advertisement
The decision was made by the school’s Board of Trustees in collaboration with the Archdiocese of New York, following what they described as a “comprehensive financial review and months of deliberation with educational and financial experts.”“After a comprehensive financial review and extensive deliberation, the Board of Trustees of Cathedral High School has determined, in collaboration with the Archdiocese of New York—with great sadness—that Cathedral High School will be unable to sustain operations beyond the 2025-2026 academic year,” the school shared in an Instagram post. “The school will close prior to the start of the 2026-2027 school year.”
Citing a nearly 50 percent drop in enrollment since the 2023–2024 school year, as well as rising operational costs and fundraising challenges, school leaders said that continued operation would “compromise Cathedral’s mission or the quality of education we provide.”
The school launched a fundraising effort called the Flourish Campaign in 2022, but despite those efforts, the board determined that long-term financial sustainability could not be achieved.
“We are profoundly aware of the emotional weight this carries for students, families, faculty, staff, alumnae, and all those who love Cathedral,” a press release from the school reads.
Founded in 1905 by the Sisters of Charity, Cathedral High School has served generations of young women in New York City, particularly the daughters of immigrants. The school emphasized academic excellence, spiritual growth, and service throughout its 120-year history. Under current Principal Jessica Aybar, the school has seen academic gains in subjects including Global Studies, U.S. History & Government, Chemistry, and Algebra II, while also renewing its commitment to Catholic values.
Advertisement
“To our faculty and staff: thank you for your unwavering dedication. To our students and families: thank you for your trust and faith. To our alumnae, benefactors, and community partners: thank you for standing by Cathedral through generations of service and success,” the Board said.In the coming months, Cathedral will provide guidance and resources to help students transition to new schools before the start of the 2026–2027 school year. According to Sr. Mary Grace Walsh, ASCJ, Ph.D., Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of New York, every student who wishes to continue her Catholic education will be supported in doing so.
“Families should know they are not alone during this time,” said Walsh. “Every young woman who desires a Catholic education will find a place in our schools. There is always room for her—room to learn, to grow, and to become the person God is calling her to be.”
While the upcoming academic year will be its last, school officials emphasized that Cathedral’s legacy will endure.
“Though this chapter is coming to a close, the legacy of Cathedral High School—the values we’ve instilled, the lives we’ve shaped, and the community we’ve built—will live on.”
Have a news tip? Send it to us here!
